"Drip, drip."
Water from the stalactites fell onto the cave wall, making a faint sound.
A cool, damp breeze, carrying a hint of earth, blew in from outside the cave.
Wang Changle lay in the coffin, slowly steadying his breathing. He looked around at the dawn light filtering in from outside, then gradually sat up.
The deadly land at the bottom of the valley was a good place to hide, but not so great to live in. So Wang Changle had returned to where he'd been buried, dug up the coffin he'd been placed in, and carried it back to the cave.
He swung his legs down, grabbed a fresh wild apple from a bamboo basket nearby, took a couple of sips from the pool, then ran outside, biting into the apple as he went.
Life at the bottom of the valley was simple. Aside from taking care of his basic needs, the most important things he did each day were visualization and physical training.
Visualization meant following Kakashi's instructions: repeatedly observing and recalling things from the mental world to make them more vivid, while developing and making use of his Mental Power.
The valley was full of thriving plants. Sensing his surroundings and communicating with the plants seemed like the best approach.
Through constant practice, he had made new breakthroughs in using and sensing Mental Power.
Not only could he meditate faster, with greater concentration and focus,
but he could also spread his perception and Mental Power outward in the form of radiating waves. This had greatly expanded his range for sensing and communicating with plants.
It had not only sped up how quickly he gathered information, but also nearly doubled his range, from 50 meters to 100 meters!
Physical training meant high-intensity aerobic and strength exercises every day in the valley, building up his body and getting it used to strenuous activity.
Kakashi was not only the Copy Ninja, but also an elite ANBU member, exceptionally skilled in Taijutsu.
In his lessons, perception and control were certainly important for a ninja, but so was the body!
The brain was the center that controlled energy, while the body was the vessel that carried the brain. The sturdier, more reliable, and more vigorous the vessel, the more steadily the brain could keep working.
By learning his body and deliberately improving its ability to withstand exertion, a caster—or ninja—could become more mobile and adaptable in battle.
Life like this was monotonous, but also fulfilling and tightly structured.
Still, his growth in strength was slow and slight. It would take perseverance!
Compared to a life like this, he would rather return to Cycle Paradise.
Only in Paradise could he obtain more and stronger abilities—enough to avenge himself!
[Notice: A new Derivative World is about to be generated. The Hunter will return to Paradise. Please ensure there are no witnesses nearby.]
[Teleportation starting... Teleportation complete.]
[Notice: LV. 2 Hunter will receive information on the Derivative World ten minutes before entering. Please wait patiently.]
As his consciousness wavered, Wang Changle had already returned to his private space.
Looking at the empty space, he thought, Mm, I'll have to figure out how to decorate it next time I'm back.
A new Derivative World had appeared. He didn't know what kind of world he would face this time. He needed to check it out and make preparations as soon as possible!
And this time, he wouldn't just have to face a new Derivative World, but also Contract Killers, as well as Violators who needed to be dealt with because of his Hunter mission!
With so many problems to handle, he needed to prepare even more. He looked at the 8,030 Paradise Coins he had left, then opened the door and headed for the trading plaza.
"Time is money, my friend. Don't waste mine."
"Come on over and have a look! We've got all kinds of skill books!"
"Oh, miss, this necklace would look lovely on you~"
"No, it's too ugly."
The bustling trading plaza was filled with hawkers calling out their wares.
Wang Changle moved between the stalls, searching for Staff Members and the goods he needed.
Compared to Contract Killers, Staff Members had a wider selection of items, since they sold goods regularly. They were also better at managing their stock.
He had 8,030 Paradise Coins left. He needed to set aside 1,000 to cover specific needs that might arise after entering the Derivative World, leaving him with 7,030 to spend.
Before long, he found the piece of equipment he needed at a Staff Member's stall.
Crude Black Iron Helmet
Origin: Lord of the Rings World
White: 8
Defense: 5
Durability: 15/15
Description: Tough and durable—that's what I'm known for.
Price: 650 Paradise Coins
It was a very ordinary helmet with no special abilities. He spent 650 Paradise Coins on it.
But it matched the color and style of his Armor of Toughness, both modeled after medieval knight's armor.
Together, they made him look like a medieval knight!
Since Armor of Toughness could neither be traded nor gifted, he couldn't sell it for money.
Mages were popular in Cycle Paradise, but they also drew more attention, especially during fights, when they became prime targets.
To avoid being singled out, he decided to play it safe and disguise himself as a knight.
After all, Armor of Toughness had solid stats and looked intimidating. Passing himself off as a novice knight wouldn't be a problem.
Having bought the gear for appearances, Wang Changle went over to a stall selling recovery items. Recovery items were essential to Contract Killers in Paradise, and among the most frequently used.
Every additional recovery potion meant a little more safety in a Derivative World—even an extra chance at survival!
The stall selling recovery items was already surrounded by people before he arrived.
That wasn't just because it had a wide selection. It also sold items that restored magic.
Mages were powerful, so anything related to them cost more than other items of the same quality, especially consumables that restored magic.
For someone like him, whose maximum Mana was low but whose consumption was high, items that restored magic were especially important.
Cool Spring Water
Origin: World of Warcraft
White: 6
Type: Consumable
Effect: After consuming, remain seated to slowly restore 1–45 points of Mana.
Notice: This item must be consumed over a long period of time. The amount restored depends on how long it is consumed. Minimum: 1. Maximum: 45.
Description: Refreshing mountain spring water.
[Magic Blue Bottle]
Origin: MapleStory World
White: 10
Type: Recovery Item
Effect: Restores 25 points of Mana shortly after drinking.
Description: Green Slime flavor. You deserve it.
Of the two recovery items, Cool Spring Water restored Mana slowly, making it useful outside of combat. It restored a decent amount.
But first, he had to stay seated; second, the recovery was slow. Both limitations were significant.
The Magic Blue Bottle let him restore Mana quickly during combat. It was small enough to hold in one hand and could be downed in an instant. It also restored a considerable amount.
With one of these little blue bottles during an intense battle, he could cast at least one more spell—and gain another chance to win.
Although recovery items had no cooldown, consuming too many in a short time brought diminishing returns, until eventually they stopped restoring anything.
"Boss, how much for these two?"
The Staff Member's eyes lit up when he saw the recovery items Wang Changle had picked. He knew he might have found himself a high-value customer.
Magic recovery items were always expensive, and owning them said a lot about the buyer.
Although everyone had an Intelligence attribute and Mana, not every Contract Killer needed magic recovery items. Magic skills were, after all, expensive and rare.
Only Contract Killers who fought with magic needed them. Even if the customer wasn't a mage, he was clearly well-off.
"800 for the Cool Spring Water, 2,000 for the Magic Blue Bottle. That'll be 2,800 Paradise Coins, if you please."
"I can tell you're serious about buying, friend. Here, I'll throw this in for free. Think of it as a gesture of friendship."
As the Staff Member spoke, he handed over an item that looked like a seven-colored fruit candy.
[Rainbow Fruit Candy]
Origin: Toriko
White: 1
Type: Recovery Item
Effect: After consumption, Mana recovery speed +1 for the next hour.
Description: Made by diluting colorful fruit. You can taste all kinds of fruit flavors.
Looking at the seven-colored candy in his hand, Wang Changle smacked his lips. This thing...
One piece per hour would restore an extra 24 Mana over the course of a day, but he'd have to keep eating them. It was a bit useless.
"Then I'll take four Cool Spring Waters, one Magic Blue Bottle, and I'll add 300 Paradise Coins. In exchange, I want ten of these Rainbow Fruit Candies."
After some haggling, Wang Changle added the Staff Member, who went by 'Sugar Bean,' as a friend. He spent 5,500 Paradise Coins and successfully bought everything.
"Boss, I hope you return safely and get everything you wish for!"
"Thanks. I'll take you up on that."
Wang Changle left Sugar Bean's stall and continued browsing the trading plaza until he received a notice from Paradise.
[The Hunter will enter the Derivative World: The Outcast in ten minutes.]
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